- Worcester State University News - https://news.worcester.edu -

Faculty Art Show Marks Reopening of Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Gallery

Worcester State University’s Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) Department has announced the reopening of the Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Gallery with an inspiring Fall 2021 Faculty Art Show. A free opening reception for the community kicks off the exhibition from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 14, 2021. The Gallery is in the Ghosh Science and Tech Building at Worcester State. The show runs through Dec. 9 during gallery hours or by appointment.

The presentation of work by 11 Worcester State VPA faculty members marks the Gallery’s first in-person show since March of 2020.

“Since the spring of 2020, the Gallery has been supporting our students by a growing online presence,” says Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Gallery Director and VPA Professor Catherine Wilcox-Titus. “We intend to expand this online presence going forward in the future. October 14 marks an important, much-anticipated day as the Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Gallery walls showcase art once again, drawing visitors who are able to return to appreciating the work in person. This tangible experience within the Gallery is irreplaceable, and we’re thrilled to open the doors once again for our students, faculty, and community.”

The exhibit will showcase a range of media, from paintings and sculpture to photography, video, and prints, by the following faculty artists: Don Bullens, Susan Fisher, Suzanne Gainer, Tom Grady, Michael Hachey, Eric Nichols, Stacey Parker, Herman Servatius, Brittany Severance, Amaryllis Siniossoglou, and Wilcox-Titus.

“Having the opportunity to experience a variety of visual and performing arts centers is an intrinsic, invaluable part of life that has faced challenges and disruptions on an international scale due to current events,” says VPA Chair and Professor Sam O’Connell. “At Worcester State, the reopening of the Gallery marks a symbolic day as we renew our commitment to the arts and our community and also give thanks to the faculty members who will be presenting their diverse work.”

The reopening of the Gallery this semester coincides with Worcester State and VPA’s offering of a new art major, a 45-credit program of study combining hands-on studio work with art history and theory courses.

“In addition to being essential for celebrating and showcasing the work of local artists, the gallery is a wonderful asset as a lab space for our students as it provides them with a practical setting for further applying what they have learned in their studies as well as a space to showcase their own work,” adds O’Connell.

In a typical year, the Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Gallery, which is part of the VPA Department, offers three to four exhibits per academic year with a commitment to recognizing the work of regional artists, Worcester State faculty, and students.

As part of the Fall 2021 Faculty Art Show, the gallery will be open Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., or by appointment. Masks are required for gallery entry. For more information about the Fall 2021 Faculty Art Show or the Gallery, please contact (508) 929-8145 or Gallery@worcester.edu [1].